Kaliyah V
by Clare of Assisi
Summary: Princess Kaliyah V is the younger sister of Prince Caspian X. When their Aunt Prunaprismia gives birth to a son, she and Caspian flee the castle, also fleeing from their Uncle Miraz, and get pulled into the quest to overthrow their uncle, take back their rightful thrones (Caspian's anyway), and even avenge the death of their father.
1. Chapter 1

Kaliyah V, younger sister of Caspian X, was sleeping soundly in her bed, when she was suddenly shaken awake. She opened one eye, saw that it was their dear old Professor, and quickly sat up in bed.

"Professor," she said in a Telmarine accent. "What has happened?"

"It's your aunt, my dear," the Professor replied. "She's just given birth. To a son."

That woke up Kaliyah faster than anything else would have. She leapt out of bed and ran to her closet.

"Dress quickly, and get to the stables, while I go wake up Caspian," the Professor instructed, and bustled out of the room.

Kaliyah pulled on a comfortable dark red dress, then pulled up her hair in a sloppily-made bun, then pulled on her boots and ventured into the secret passageway in the back of her wardrobe. Once she got to the stables, she dropped down on one knee to lace up her boots.

She was just finishing lacing up her last one, when she heard footsteps. She straightened up, and drew her sword.

It was only Caspian and the Professor. Kaliyah relaxed and sheathed her sword. Caspian looked anxiously at her, then relaxed when he saw that she was all right.

"You must make for the woods," the Professor whispered as the two siblings jumped onto their horses.

"The woods?" Caspian questioned.

"They won't follow you there," the Professor explained. He handed a wrapped object to Kaliyah. "It has taken me many years to find this. Do not use it except at your greatest need."

Kaliyah stowed it in her pocket, and asked, "Will we ever see you again?"

The Professor smiled. "I hope so, my dear. There is so much I meant to tell you. Everything you know is about to change."

Suddenly, they heard a noise. The Professor ordered, "Now go!"

And with that, Caspian and Kaliyah rode out of the stables.

They were riding across the drawbridge when they heard explosions and looked back to see fireworks being launched into the sky. Someone shouted, "Lady Prunaprismia has blessed Lord Miraz with a son!"

Kaliyah wrinkled her nose at it all, thinking, "They wouldn't have done all of that if Aunt Prunie had had a daughter."

After that thought, she swore that one of these days, she was going to go back to that castle and tell their little cousin the exact reason why his older cousins had run away. This made Kaliyah feel a little better.

They entered the forest and rode safely across the river. Caspian looked back, and didn't see any of the soldiers chasing them. Kaliyah was still looking ahead.

"Caspian!" she shrieked. "Look out!"

Caspian turned his head around, but got hit on the forehead by a tree branch and fell off his horse. Kaliyah stopped her horse, Ronan, jumped off, and ran over to him.

"Are you okay?" she asked. Caspian sat up, holding his forehead.

Just then, a door in a tree opened up, and two dwarves stepped out.

Caspian shot up and drew his sword, but Kaliyah stood up and didn't draw hers. She was staring at the two dwarves in dumbstruck fascination, since Narnians were supposed to be extinct, weren't they?

One of the dwarves yelled, "They've seen us!" while the other drew a sword and advanced on them.

Kaliyah blinked, then drew out the package the Professor had given her and unwrapped it. The dwarf froze.

The object turned out to be a horn, made of white ivory, with a roaring lion head carved at one end.

The dwarf said something to the other one, then ran at the advancing soldiers.

"Blow it!" Caspian yelled at her.

Kaliyah stared at the horn, then made her decision.

The other dwarf seemed to know exactly what she was going to do, and shouted, "NO!"

He was too late.

Kaliyah raised the horn to her mouth, took a deep breath, and blew the horn. It rang out, and seemed to bounce off the trees around them.

The dwarf flew at Caspian and Kaliyah, then everything went black.


	2. Chapter 2

When Kaliyah woke up, the first thing she heard was voices. She opened her mouth to speak, but a hand covered her mouth. It was Caspian.

He put a finger to his lips, then whispered, "Stay quiet, Ka,"

The voices were more clearer now as they inched towards the doorway.

"We can't kill them now. I just bandaged the boy's head. It would be like murdering a guest."

"Oh, and how do you think their friends are treating their guests?"

"Trumpkin knew what he was doing. It's not the boy and girl's faults."

Caspian turned to lock eyes with Kaliyah. They nodded, then ran out of the room towards the doorway. The dwarf ran for them. Caspian grabbed a small... thing, and fenced with the dwarf for a second.

"I told you we should've killed them while we had the chance!" the dwarf said to the... badger?

"You know why we can't," the badger said. Kaliyah's mouth fell open.

"If we're taking a vote," Caspian said, and jerked his head in the badger' direction. "I'm with him."

Kaliyah closed her mouth and nodded in agreement.

"We can't let them go," the dwarf argued. "They've seen us!"

He lunged at Caspian and Kaliyah, which Caspian blocked. It unfortunately made them fall backwards onto the floor.

"Enough, Nikabrik!" the badger said. "Or do I have to sit on your head again?"

Kaliyah wrinkled her nose in disgust. The badger turned to Caspian. "And you," he said. "Look what you made me do!"

He picked up a bowl off the floor. "I spent half the morning on that soup," he muttered bitterly.

Caspian looked at the two of them, then asked, "What are you?"

"You know, it's funny you should ask that," the badger said with it's back to them. "You think people would know a badger when they see one."

"No." Caspian said. "No, I mean..." he trailed off.

"You're Narnians," Kaliyah continued. "You're supposed to be extinct."

"Sorry to disappoint you," the dwarf, Nikabrik, said sassily, and walked away from them. The badger came back to the table, and put a soup bowl on it.

"Since when did we open a boarding house for Telmarine soldiers?" Nikabrik asked him.

"We're not soldiers," Caspian said, and stood up. Kaliyah, however, did not.

"I am Prince Caspian," he continued. "The tenth."

"And I am Princess Kaliyah," Kaliyah said. "The fifth."

Caspian looked down at her, then sat back down and put an arm around her.

"What are you doing here?" Nikabrik asked them.

Caspian gave Kaliyah a one-arm squeeze, then looked back at them. "Running away."

The badger and Nikabrik seemed confused.

"Our uncle has always wanted my throne," Caspian said. "I suppose I have only lived this long because he did not have an heir of his own."

"Oh..." the badger put a hand on his chest. "That changes things."

"Yeah," Nikabrik agreed. "Means we don't have to kill you ourselves."

Caspian and Kaliyah looked at him, then said, "You're right."

They both stood up and, seeing their things over in a corner, walked over to them.

"Where are you going?" the badger asked.

"My uncle won't stop until we're dead," Caspian replied, putting on his vest. Kaliyah strapped her sword to her waist.

"But, you can't leave," the badger argued. "You're meant to save us."

The two stopped, and turned to the badger.

"Don't you know what this is?"

The badger picked up the horn and showed it to the prince and princess.


	3. Chapter 3

Caspian and Kaliyah were walking through the forest, when they heard a rustle nearby.

They turned to two trees behind them, and said, "We can hear you."

The badger, who they now knew to be Truffelhunter. came out from behind a tree, saying, "I just think we should wait for the kings and queens."

Kaliyah raised an eyebrow, and said, "You told us they left."

"Yes, but–"

"It's been over a thousand years," Kaliyah interrupted. "If they wanted to come back, they would've come back sooner. Maybe soon enough to stop..."

She trailed off. Then she and Caspian turned and walked away.

"Fine!" Truffelhunter yelled after them. "Go then! See if the others will be more understanding!"

"Or maybe I'll come with you," Nikabrik said, following them. "I want to see you explain things to the minotaurs."

That made Caspian and Kaliyah stop in their tracks and turn around.

"Minotaurs?" Caspian questioned. "They're real?"

"And very bad tempered." Truffelhunter said.

"Yeah, not to mention big."

"Huge."

Kaliyah stared at them, then asked a question she had always wanted to know.

"What about centaurs? Do they still exist?"

Caspian gave her a Don't encourage them! look that Kaliyah ignored.

"Well the centaurs will probably fight on your side," Truffelhunter said. "But there's no telling what the others will do."

A question spilled out of Kaliyah's mouth before she could stop it. "What about Aslan?"

Truffelhunter and Nikabrik stopped and turned to her.

"How do you know so much about us?" Nikabrik asked suspiciously.

"Stories," Caspian replied, as if it were obvious.

"Wait a minute," Truffelhunter said. "Your father told you stories about Narnia?"

At just the word 'father' Kaliyah got a sad look in her eyes. Caspian noticed and took her hand.

"No, our professor, he... Listen, I'm sorry. These are not the kind of questions you should be asking."

They walked past Truffelhunter and Nikabrik, when Truffelhunter suddenly sniffed the air.

"What is it?" Nikabrik asked.

"Human."

"Them?"

"No. Them."

The four of them looked up to see Telmarine soldiers running towards them, holding crossbows.

"There they are!" one shouted.

"Run!" Caspian said to the Narnians. They took off running through the forest.

Just then, Truffelhunter got hit and fell down onto the forest floor. The three stopped. Nikabrik started towards him, but Caspian said, "Wait! I'll go!"

"Me too!" Kaliyah added, and the two ran to Truffelhunter. He held the horn out to Caspian.

"Take it and go," he said. "It's more important than I am."

Caspian took it and shoved it into his bag.

Suddenly, they heard a small swish, and the advancing soldiers suddenly fell to the ground.

Taking advantage of the distraction, Caspian heaved Truffelhunter over his shoulder, and he and Kaliyah began to run away. The remaining soldiers began to shoot at them again.

Caspian handed Truffelhunter to Nikabrik, then they both drew their swords.

Suddenly, the remaining soldiers fell to the ground.

Kaliyah's jaw slackened. "What the–"

Suddenly, a blur smacked Caspian on the chest, making him stagger. He grabbed Kaliyah's shoulder, but that made them both fall sprawling on the ground.

"Choose your last words carefully, Telmarine!"

The person standing on Caspian's chest made both Caspian and Kaliyah's mouths drop open in shock.

It was a mouse.

Caspian managed to say so. "You are a mouse."

The mouse sighed. "I was hoping for something more original. Pick up your swords!"

Caspian looked behind them at their swords, that were behind their heads, then turned back to the mouse. "No thanks."

"Pick it up! I will not fight an unarmed man!"

"Which is why I might live longer, if I chose not to cross blade with you, noble mouse,"

"Hey, what about me?" Kaliyah demanded.

"You're a girl, I don't fight girls," the mouse replied.

"Hey!"

"I said I wouldn't fight you," the mouse said, turning back to Caspian. "I didn't say I would let you live."

"Reepicheep!" Truffelhunter yelled. "Still your blade!"

The mouse looked over at him. "Truffelhunter? I trust you have a very good reason for the untimely interruption?"

"He doesn't. Go ahead!" Nikabrik said quickly.

"They're the ones who blew the horn,"

"What?" The mouse lowered it's sword and frowned.

"Then let them bring it forward."

Caspian and Kaliyah looked to their left, at a centaur coming towards them. Kaliyah gasped.

"This is the reason we have gathered."


	4. Chapter 4

Kaliyah stood in the middle of a clearing with Caspian as all the Narnians – Fauns, dwarves, centaurs, mice, badgers, cheetahs, lions, tigers, etc – shouted angrily at them.

"All this horn proves is that they have stole yet another thing from us." Nikabrik said as he stepped down from the rock he was on.

"You would hold us accountable for the crimes of our people?" Caspian asked him.

"Accountable," Nikabrik replied. "And punishable."

Kaliyah decided that she didn't like the Narnians as much as she always thought she would.

The mouse, Reepicheep, came up, pointing his sword at Nikabrik. "That is rich coming from you, dwarf. Or did you forget it was your people who fought alongside the White Witch?"

"And I would gladly do it again to rid us of these barbarians," Nikabrik replied, glaring at Caspian and Kaliyah.

"Who are you calling barbarians?" Kaliyah suddenly said. Nikabrik turned to her.

"Hold your tongue, girl," he snapped. "You do not have a say in any of this."

Caspian took a step back as Kaliyah's eyes flashed. She picked up the dwarf by the collar of his tunic.

"What did you just say?" she hissed. "Did you just say that because I am a girl, I do not have a say in any of this? You'll regret saying that, dwarf."

"Kaliyah," Caspian put a hand on her shoulder. "Stop."

Kaliyah obeyed him, but she made sure she threw Nikabrik back into the ground as hard as she could.

"Then it is lucky it is not in your power to bring her back. Unless you are asking this boy and girl go against Aslan now." Trufflehunter said suddenly. "She is right. She does have a say in this. You may have forgotten, but we badgers remember, that Narnia was never right unless a Son of Adam was king or a Daughter of Eve was queen."

"But they're Telmarines!" Nikabrik protested, getting up off the ground. "Why would we want him as our king?" he yelled, pointing at Caspian. "Or her, as our queen!"

"Because we can help you," Caspian said. "Beyond these woods, I am a prince, and Kaliyah is a princess. The Telmarine throne is rightfully mine, and Kaliyah's. Help us claim it, and we will bring peace between us."

The head centaur stepped forward. "It is true," he said. "The time is right. For I watch the stars, as they are mine to watch, just like it is yours to remember, Badger. Tarva, the lord of Victory, and Alambil, the lady of peace, have come together in the high heavens. And now, a son of Adam and daughter of Eve have come forth to offer us back our freedom."

A squirrel in the trees piped up, talking quickly from his jitteriness. "Is this possible? Do you really think there could be peace? Do you? I mean, really?"

Caspian addressed the entire party. "Two days ago, we did not believe in the existence of talking animals, or dwarves, or centaurs. And yet here you are in strength numbers we Telmarines could never have imagined. And whether this horn, magic or not, it brought us together. And together we have a chance to take back what is ours." Caspian held up the horn.

"If you will lead us, then my sons and I offer you our swords," the head centaur said, and drew an extra-long sword. As if on cue, the other centaurs drew their own swords. Reepicheep came forward as well.

"And we offer you our lives." He bowed. "Unreservedly."

Caspian and Kaliyah looked at each other and smiled. Nikabrik looked furious.

"Miraz's army is not far behind," Trufflehunter said to Caspian.

"If we are to be ready for them, we need to hurry to find soldiers and weapons," Kaliyah said to Caspian.

"How do we get weapons, my lord?" Reepicheep asked Caspian. "Have you and your sister a plan?"

Kaliyah smiled.

"No, not really," she said. "But the one thing you learn when staying with Uncle, is that you have to be good at thinking on your feet."

* * *

About an hour later, Caspian and Kaliyah were leading a group of Narnians to the river.

"Look," Kaliyah pointed, and on the other side they saw Telmarine workers chopping down trees for wood.

"How dare they harm our trees!" Reepicheep said. "They should be punished for that!"

"Not now, Reepicheep," Caspian muttered. "Kaliyah, wait here. All of you, with me."

Then he and the others slipped into the water and swam silently to the other side.

Kaliyah listened as shouts, yells, and clashing metal filled the air, then stopped. About a few minutes later, Caspian, Reepicheep, and the other Narnians resurfaced, carrying bundles of weapons. Caspian was grinning, as if he had just seen something amusing.

"Did you carve the message?" Kaliyah asked as they walked back through the woods.

"I did."

"With help from me," Reepicheep piped up.

Kaliyah smiled. Maybe Narnians weren't so bad after all.


End file.
